Walks are suitable for people of mixed ability and age, and tend to last about 60 - 90 minutes. You can walk at your own pace - you will not be left behind. If you have a mobile phone please take it with you in case of emergencies. Walks start at 2.15pm - just turn up on the day. Between 12 - 20 people walk each week. If it is raining heavily, or is dangerous underfoot, ie ice or snow at the start time, the walk will not take place - use your own judgement. If it is hot please bring something to drink. Copies of the walk plan can be obtained from Blackwood Road Library and are also dislayed in shop windows and on the community notice board next to Gary's shop on Blackwood Road. call Michael on 0121 353 0666.

Bus route information

The Co-op, Chester Road (near junction with Manor road), and the Parson and Clerk pub, are served by buses
77, 88 and 935. For the Parson and Clerk, you can also use the 56 Diamond Brownhills to Birmingham service.
Travelling towards Birmingham, alight at the junction of Bakers Lane and Sutton Oak Road.
The Hardwick Arms pub, corner of Hardwick and Chester Roads, is served by the 88 and the 935.
Streetly Community Centre is served by Central Bus Streetly - Sutton Coldfield number 78 - travelling towards Sutton the bus stops opposite the Community Centre at 1332. The 935 bus stops at thejunction of Chester Road and Foley Road. Timetables for all these services can be obtained from Streetly Library on Blackwood Road or by visiting network west midlands

Walk4Life

If you enjoy walking you will find The Walk4Life website is totally free and has thousands of walk ideas all over the country.
The website uses OS maps which can easily be printed out at home so is proving really popular. People can also keep a track of the walks they have done and set themselves a target!

Walsall Sports and Leisure Services

- organises regular weekly walks across the borough of Walsall. The nearest ones to Streetly are based in Aldridge and are very well attended. For details of these walks visit Walsall website or see the ‘Whats On’ brochure available in Blackwood Road Library.

Institute of Ramblers

- organises walks on the 1st and 3rd Saturday of the month. Distance between 5 - 10 miles and within an hours drive of Birmingham. Call 0121 453 9583 or visit iwalk website

Blackwood Patient Participation Group

- organises local walks. Leave your contact details in reception at Blackwood Health Centre, Blackwood Road, Streetly, B74 3PL. You do not have to be a patient at this surgery to attend the walks.

Walking is one of the best and the easiest ways of becoming more active. It doesn’t cost money and can be done at any time of the day and anywhere.
Walking regularly makes you fitter and stronger. It can:

• Help with weight loss

• Ease back pain

• Strengthen the heart and reduce risk of heart disease

• Increase bone density

• Increase your muscle tone and joint flexibility

• Improve your balance

• Give you more energy

• Make you more confident

• Help you relax

• Help you make new friends

Walking is particularly good exercise if you are an older adult or suffer with back pain. It will make you fitter and stronger and help you maintain your balance. Walking with a group means that you have regular company and are safe and can walk in places such as Sutton Park where you may not wish to walk on your own.
So – why not give it a try. Start walking now.

Walk Plan useful notes

PROW = public right of way

There is no official walk leader. Michael knows lots of different walks in Sutton Park which he loves to take us on when he’s around. The following walks can be used when he is not there.

With your back to the entrance to Blackwood Park on Blackwood Road, walk to the left along this road turning second left into Foley Road East. Cross over School Acre Rise and turn left into the PROW opposite Besom Cottage on the right. Through the PROW turn right into Amberley Way, left into Cedar Drive crossing over into the entrance of the park. Follow the path till you reach the start of the conservation wood on the left. Enter the wood and follow the path round. Blackwood School will be on your left. Exit the wood over the foot stile onto the main path. Cross over this path entering the woodland on the other side. Follow this path past the church, the health centre and St. Anne’s School on the left.

Keep bearing right and you will come out onto the green and the pavilion. Bear right along the green, then right onto the main path taking you back to the park entrance on Blackwood Road.
From the – Hardwick Arms turn left along the Chester Road from the front of the pub. Just past the flats turn left into the slip road and straight over into Ollison Drive. Follow the road round to the right through the PROW into Bushey Close. Turn left onto Carlton Avenue, past the bowling green, right into Hardwick Road, and next left into Thistledown Close. Walk along the left footpath turning left onto the tarmac PROW until you reach the grass area known locally as ‘the patch’. Turn immediate right along the path between the blackberries – mind the surface roots - and carry on as far as you can go – you will see a paddock in front of you. Turn right along the main path, over the railway line ( listen for approaching trains), through the gate to the next field and on to the stile. Turn round here and head back along the same path till you reach Lindrosa Road. Cross over into the PROW and then over Coniston Road into the next PROW to Hardwick Road and the pub.

From the Co-op go through the PROW next to the Rickshaw onto Thornhill Park and straight down the hill to Thornhill Road. Turn right crossing over Millcroft Road. Almost opposite is a gate into the park. Enter this gate and you will shortly reach the perimeter path. Turn left along this path and continue till you reach the golf club entrance. Exit here onto Thornhill Road. Cross over the pedestrian lights and bear left. Turn right into Manor Road and immediately right into Middleton Road and next left into Astor Road. Continue along Astor Road. On the bend, on the left, take the PROW through onto the field. Turn left following the perimeter fence. Turn right with the fence. Half way along this side is a PROW through into Briar Avenue – Manor School is to the left. Continue along Briar Avenue, left into Thorney Road. Enter the PROW on the right between house numbers 72 and 74 emerging onto the Chester Road slip road. Head left, back to the Co-op.

From the front hall at Streetly Community Centre, enter the playing fields at the rear through the railings, turn left then right along the perimeter fence. Part way along the second side, a waste bin marks a PROW. Through here, turn right along Astor road, right into Middleton, left onto Thornhill Rd, left to the pedestrian lights. Cross over and enter the Park. Bear left then right. Turn right at the oak tree and carry straight on. At the point where the trees meet across the path, golf links to the right, you will be crossing over the old Roman Road into some woodland. A little way along take a cutting on the right between the holly trees, turn left then right. Follow this path to the next junction – a tree on the right bears the sign ‘10th tee’. Go left and left again. Along this path there is another path on the left going into the woodland. Follow this winding path, past the fallen tree on the left, coming out of the wood into an open area. The golf links are on the left. Continue along the links. Where the path forks at the holly bush, bear left and carry straight on, over another path, through more holly bushes back to the golf club gate. Cross over the pedestrian lights. Left along Thornhill, right into Manor, immediate right into Middleton, left into Astor, through the PROW on the left onto the playing field and right back to the Community Centre.

From the Parson and Clerk, turn left from the car park along the Chester Road, cross over the Chester Road outside Sutton Park Surgery and enter the park at the gate. Walk straight ahead along the red path until you reach the stream at the bottom of the hill. Those wanting to stretch themselves, can continue up the hill to the Jamboree Stone. If it’s reasonable underfoot, it’s nice to walk in the heaths either side of the red path. There are several paths taking you across the heaths without having to go too far, and within sight of the main red path so you should feel safe. Return to the Parson and Clerk along the red path.